Vaughan budget passes, taxes up

Vaughan Citizen

Vaughan taxpayers will pay 2.69 per cent more for city services in 2013 after city council unanimously passed its 2013 budget Monday night.

Added in with the 1.94 per cent increase passed by the Region of York and the .91 per cent hospital levy increase for 2013, the average homeowner will pay an additional $86 or an overall 1.90 per cent increase on their tax bill for this year. The education portion of the tax package is at zero per cent.

“The budget process involved a very disciplined, focused approach, keeping the eye on the ball, not getting distracted by noise,” the mayor said.

As evidence, he pointed out that the draft budget started out with a proposed 4.6 per cent increase and, through work between staff and council, $2.8 million in increases were cut to bring the final increase to 2.69 per cent.

“After much debate and dialogue with residents and council and staff working together, whenever you see a reduction, the process works well for the taxpayer,” he added.

The budget, which covers a $238 million package of operations spending and $58 for capital projects, as well as the hospital levy, includes a long list of approved projects.

A sample includes:

• $1.89 million for the renewal of Black Creek within the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, the city’s new downtown area between Hwy. 7 and Hwy. 407, including culvert improvements;

• $11.4 million for a three-phase pavement management program to rehabilitate roads in Woodbridge, Thornhill and Concord including Dufferin and Centre streets; Weston and Langstaff roads; Pine Valley and Langstaff roads and Kipling Avenue and Hwy. 7 and;

• $4.7 million for construction of the 9,300-square-foot fire station No. 7-3 in the vicinity of the Vaughan Enterprise Zone employment lands, in the west end of the city.

Councillor Rosanna DeFrancesca said taxpayers have high standards and the city needs to continue to meet them if it raises taxes.

“We want to see value for the dollar and as a taxpayer, ultimately, that’s all we want. I know the increases are there and things cost more money, but I think the attitude is, make my services exceptional or reduce my taxes,” she said.

Mr. Bevilacqua did note that a chart displaying tax increases among a select chart of 13 municipalities, 12 of which are in the GTA and six of which are in York Region, Vaughan’s is the second lowest of all of them over the past three years, beaten only by Markham.

Vaughan’s three-year rate cumulative total increase of 7.59 per cent is bested only by Markham’s three-year rate of 3 per cent.

The highest rate is Caledon at 21.34 per cent, while Mississauga is second at 20.20 per cent. King was third and highest in York Region at 17.98 per cent.

The $86 tax increase is on an average Vaughan residential property assessed at $517,000.